Kitsune-kun

Mermaid Gown

2013-05-20T13:57:00.001-04:00

So this was a first for me- I was approached by a company called MackTak Mart, which carries designer gowns for formal events. They wanted to know if I'd be up for coming to their showroom in the fashion district to model a gown and promote their business- this being prom season and all. I don't own any floor length gowns, and I love dressing up, so I thought it sounded fun. I was immediately drawn to all the Tadashi Shoji gowns. They were all so beautiful and elegant, and had such striking patterns and colours. I ended up going with this art deco, mermaid-feeling one. It felt so glamorous!

I sure got a lot of stares in Bryant Park, but that's nothing new I guess. I'm always doing weird things for pictures in New York. We wanted to take them of me riding the carousel but the workers wouldn't let us on before it opened, even though it was only about 30 minutes away. It's too bad it was so sunny and shadowy, and I kind of wish Ryan could have come to take photos with our camera and lens because I prefer the look we've honed together, but oh well, at least I got to wear this fun dress for a little bit! I like how the dress really compliments the carousel- what a beautiful bygone era. I'm so glad some designers still try to recall such gorgeous styles. I wish I was going to a prom right now! I would totally choose this one of a kind dress.

*photos by macktak mart *edited by me

The Dollhouse

2013-05-18T11:27:00.000-04:00

The other day my friend Shayla and I went to Grand Central to check out the giant dollhouse in their lobby. It was only there for two days to promote Target's new home decor line, and I'm really glad we made it- it was pretty fun to explore! There weren't any stairs, which I found disappointing, but the backyard was really awesome, and the fact that they let you playa around with the props and household objects made it a fun time. I loved that they had a croquet set. I asked the worker if we could play, and they said sure, but turns out the metal gates wouldn't actual stick into the astroturf- and then I felt like I was in The Truman Show.

dress/shoes: vintage/thrifted
cardigan: joe fresh
sunglasses:....? can't remember :/
tights: uo

Bear shirts are fun(ny)

2013-05-14T10:57:00.000-04:00

I've been eyeing this pullover at ASOS ever since I got into my 'bears are cute' obsessions in the summertime, but could never rustle up the jimmies to pay full price fory what was essentially just a sweatshirt (ok, I know that was a malapropism but the phrase is so priceless I want every chance to use it). In January it went down 50% and I snagged the last extra large and tailored it down to fit better. Then it was so cold all winter that I was always wearing five layers, so I never got a photo. and here we are in May! still cold enough for sleeves and socks!

So there are a few reasons I was feeling a bit stroppy while taking these photos. First, the wind kept giving me alfalfa hair. Second, the wind blew the roof door shut and we got locked out up there for an hour. Third, the whole first batch of photos ended up out of focus so we had to do it all again. good thing we had that whooole extra hour with nothing to do...Fourth, it's still this cold in May (!) but at least I can wear the cutest sweatshirt I've ever owned- uninhibited, wild and free.

top: asos
skirt: vintage
socks: japan
shoes: vintage

ivy clad streets

2013-05-11T10:55:00.000-04:00

West Village is a very charming corner of Manhattan that we clearly don't frequent enough. We wandered all the way down here for dinner a few nights before I left for the summer. Our own neighborhood has kind of an austere, monolithic feel to it- with Columbia's big stone neoclassical structures, Grant's tomb, giant gothic cathedrals,looming pre-war dormitories, and massive granite steps to surrounding parks. West Village feels so much more cozy and quaint with its little brownstones, cobblestone streets, and ivy- colored brick. It's the kind of neighborhood that makes me feel like maybe I could want to live in manhattan long-term, if this was the kind of vibe I could soak in regularly. There's a reason we don't and probably won't live here though. It's awfully swanky and everything is so expensive. Fun spot to walk around though.

I got this cute cat bow in a little basement store in Harajuku when I was living in Japan last summer. I somehow have never photographed it and it's almost been a whole year! how weird. I love how cute the little cats are, and how the bow is a more Japanesey shape- like what you would see on a yukata or kimono. I also prefer to wear it with trousers or shorts so I don't feel too girly and doll-ish.

bow: harajuku
coat: thrifted in japan
top: joe fresh
jeans:papaya
shoes/bag: vintage/thrifted

green dress, green trees, green light.

2013-05-08T11:00:00.005-04:00

Here is a pretty dress I've had in my to-mend pile for ever and ever. The buttons were all messed up and would pop open all the time. For a while I planned on hemming it up a bit as well, but after finding a petticoat to wear under it I'm growing quite fond of the full skirt in it's proper glory- all poofed out thanks to the extra tulle underneath. The buttons were a simple fix once I finally made myself get around to it, and now I'm really kicking myself for not doing it sooner.

And here is a little tree climbing adventure storybook from a cool, breezy May evening in the park:

catty

2013-05-06T11:09:00.001-04:00

Temperatures have dropped here again and tights and jackets have come out from under the bed. I tried to go barelegged here, but I was really chilly and changed into pants when I got home. I keep craving simple looks with subtle details, but my need to stay warm and continue to layer trumps my choices most of the time. I'm glad I ventured out with this outfit and got some snaps though- It's along more minimalist lines, and luckily the shirt is long sleeved and thick which is nice for this crazy weather. The cat brooch adds the playfulness I like to incorporate most of the time, while staying pretty chill about it. Also, looking at these now I realize that I should have taken my backpack off- the matching leather of the straps and my belt makes it look like I'm wear a back brace...or a harness? Let's just pretend they're suspenders and call it good.

top: joe fresh
skirt/shoes/sunglasses: vintage/thrifted
brooch: Japan

may 3rd.

2013-05-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it's nice to take a break from the style blogging routine and indulge in some lo-fi goodness and just hang out after work and school. We decided to enjoy the warmer weather and blooms down in riverside park behind our apartment. we don't go here enough. we ate trader joe's pulled pork and rolls on our little felt blanket we use for picnics, and laid back and watched everything happen upside down for a while. Have a happy Friday. spend it with someone you love.

Sakura!

2013-04-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

I'm so glad we snapped these on a recent stroll through central park because all these blossoms are already gone now! It got cold and windy right after and they all blew away. Oh sakura and their ephemeralness! I feel like they've been particularly elusive this spring. Sure hope next year is more mild. This was a beautiful day though, even if it was only one out of the week. Blooming Central Park in the spring is my favourite- it's like a sudden magical fairy world that only lasts for a week or so, and leaves you wondering if it actually ever really happened at all.

There are some areas that any other time of the year, we would just pass by- but for this short amount of time it's like a beacon drawing us in with fluffy, white petals floating on bending boughs. Such a perfect ambassador for the season. We found this relaxing little grove of cherry trees and surprisingly had it nearly all to ourselves. It felt so good to lie in the grass with bare legs and feel the sun on our skin. It feels like it's been years.

outfit: all thrifted and vintage (shoes from ebay)

bathing in sunshine and blossoms

2013-04-28T11:17:00.001-04:00

Spring! you came! you really came. The blossoms are out, the temperatures are staying above 50 degrees, and life is glorious. I wrangled some friends into having a springy picnic with me, and I'll have those photos up soon too. For now here some of central park's greatest blooms! I was so excited to finally wear this pretty white vintage dress with no other complications like tights or cardigans. I even went barefoot for a while. glorious, people, glorious.

Best Friends

2013-04-25T11:21:00.001-04:00

2013-04-22T14:08:00.000-04:00

Trying to keep my posts dinosaur themed for as long as possible as I continue to celebrate the anniversary and return to theaters of Jurassic Park. The fun never ends! I've had this 'long neck' tee since high school, and it has certainly seen better days, but I just can't get rid of it until I find a suitable replacement, and good dino T's are hard to come by. The shoes are new from YesWalker.com and I quite like the colour and shape. They'll be great summer shoes when it's finally warm enough to forgo tights once and for all. Pointy flats will always my weapon of choice as footwear goes, I really like the suede and stitching on these.

I found a lil pack of rubber dinosaur toys in a corner shop a while back, and I'm glad I could use this little guy to go with my shirt. and make a GIF. I need more dinosaur GIFs in my life. don't we all. WEll, happy monday everyone, here's to hoping the weather stops being so crazy chilly!

outfit:
top- urban outfitters (extinct)
jumper- thrifted
tights- internet?
shoes- YesWalker

...You have a T-Rex?

2013-04-20T08:09:00.000-04:00

While we were in DC we spent the afternoon exploring the Smithsonian and Natural History museums. It's always a fun setting to explore, but we were of course especially excited to get to the dinosaur section, and I wore my T-rex necklace for the occasion. The lighting was really difficult for photographs, but we tried anyway- I really wanted some dino photos to go with my necklace to jive with the Jurassic Park festivities.

Yay dinosaurs!

Welcome to..........Jurassic Park

2013-04-18T10:53:00.000-04:00

So I'm a little late to the party on this, but ever since I heard they were releasing Jurassic Park in 3D this year I've been super pumped and looking forward to it. We were out of town and busy on the night it opened though, and we had a hard time finding a day both of us could go once we got home, so we didn't get around to seeing it until this week. Jurassic Park has always been one of my favourite movies, and I never got to see it in theaters since I was too young, so even without the 3D I would have jumped at the chance to see it on the big screen. Ryan and I saw it in the IMAX near us and it was SO amazing! I almost cried.

So, in honor of this great great movie that influenced a whole generation, here are some photos from the Jurassic Park section of universal studios when we visited for spring break. I was so impressed! They actually built the whole visitor center from the movie and it looked JUST like it. They even had hokey visitor center-feeling things like a dinosaur themed kids discovery center, and an area where you could 'scan' your DNA to mix it with a dinosaur's....my favorite was holding and scanning the dino eggs though. So fun.

And just because it never never gets old:

I'll be back soon with more dinosaur themed posts in honour of this momentous event. Till next time!
Kathryn

Cherry Blossom Fail

2013-04-15T17:15:00.001-04:00

Last weekend we traveled to DC to see the cherry blossoms around the basin. I had put a lot of research into when the blossoms should have been in bloom, and even took into account the experts predicting a late bloom due to cold weather, but even after a lot of careful planning, we still ended up being too early, and out of the hundreds of sakura trees only about three actually had blossoms coming out. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement. I had planned pretty much my whole month around this trip and was so excited to see America's biggest population of sakura in bloom.

In Japan, people use the word 'hanami' to describe the whole experience of taking time to go and view the cherry blossoms. There are often festivals dedicated to the event, many people dress in traditional attire that is seasonally appropriate ( floral fabrics, pinks and whites and purples to reflect the petal colours). The fact that the blossoms are so fickle and difficult to predict, coupled with the fleeting amount of time they actually stay open, renders the whole experience very poetic, and there are countless works of art lauding every stage of bloom, from the tiny green buds to the full open flower, to the fallen petals carpeting the ground. Ryan kept reminding me of all the songs and poems written about this stage we found ourselves in, where the buds are just starting to open and show colour. Try as I might, I wasn't able to muster enough patient Japanese mentality to feel too excited about it...I really wanted the spectacular view of open blossoms in all directions. That's life, though! Still glad we got to see at least a few trees blooming, and the monuments were cool.

dress/shoes/bag- vintage
glasses- uo
cardigan- zara
parasol- SF Japantown

Elusive Spring

2013-04-11T17:48:00.000-04:00

Central Park Blossoms from kitsune-kun on Vimeo.

This is what central park looked like on April 4th a year ago. There's narry a leaf or blossom now, and as I was going through old videos I shot I found this one full of lovely sunshine and spring blossoms and thought I'd share it as something to look forward to. Over the weekend we went to DC for the cherry blossom festival,but it was pretty disappointing. It's been too cold of a year I guess. we probably missed the peak by just a week or so which makes it that much more frustrating, but ah well, there are some sakura in new york, just not as many. hope they get blooming soon!

around the block

2013-04-10T10:54:00.000-04:00

I tried to brave some outdoor shots the other day without a coat since the weather said it would be nice and in the 60's. Ha. Oh Kathryn. You put far too much faith in your weather apps and modern data. 60's? nice day? sunny? PSYCHE. About 10 minutes after we left it dropped about 15 degrees, got windy and freezing, and started sleeting. No picnic today. But here's a cool cathedral near our place. that's pretty neat. my dad always said there was no such thing as bad weather- just inappropriate clothing. I was so inappropriately clothed for this spring freeze storm. a good example of wishful thinking going badly wrong.

dress/shoes- vintage
cardigan- last chance
tights- joe fresh

Tanuki

2013-04-08T10:59:00.000-04:00

It was another unseasonably cold and less than pleasant week in which I wore way more layers than I'd ever consider acceptable for April. Since no one needs to see my coat again, I just took some indoor photos. I really love this shirt, although I very rarely wear it because I don't want anything to happen to it. Definitely THE most expensive T-shirt I have ever purchased. It was so unique, and I came back a few times to gaze at it before finally deciding it would be worth it. Found it in a cute zakka shop in Shimokitazawa, Japan, which quickly became one of my favorite suburbs to spend the day. It has tanuki- their version of raccoon- all over, and there is one cat masquerading. can you find her? Japan has details down so well.

hat-street market
top- zakka shop
cardigan- h&m
jeans- j crew
shoes- vintage

Downtown Disney

2013-04-06T10:44:00.000-04:00

On our last day in florida we took it easy and had a slow morning exploring the lakeshore right out in the backyard of the family's house we were staying with. They had a little dock that sat right on the lake, and we just enjoyed the breeze, sunshine, and view for a bit. Of course my first question was if there were alligators in here, and the answer was, well, yes- pretty much any body of water in florida will most likely have a gator in it. crazy! they were so nonchalant about it and said they go swimming all the time- no big deal. I dipped my feet in the water for about two seconds and freaked out.

Then we decided to check out Downtown Disney. We just walked around and found cool things to take pictures of, like this incredibly photogenic balloon, and this awesome dinosaur themed restaurant. Seriously so glad I ran into this place. what a gem! they even have a fossil digging pit area for kids while they wait for their food.

afterwards we did some digging and found some great local joints for amazing flautas and shaved ice, and made our way on over to the airport and back to new york. that's a wrap!

sunset at st. pete

2013-04-04T11:13:00.001-04:00

Of course, it wouldn't have been spring break without some beach time. Orlando is smack in the middle, so it took us a good 2.5-3 hours to get to a good one, but it was worth it to catch the sunset and dip our feet in the water. It was chillier than I would have liked, but I'm still glad we got to enjoy the soft white sand and palm trees for a bit. We ended up around just south of Tampa, at St. Petersburg. It was actually pretty deserted by 6:00. Next time we'll know to leave much earlier to have more daylight at the beach, because I really wanted to see the turquoise water.

A Magic Time

2013-04-02T10:59:00.000-04:00

We also got to visit Magic Kingdom in DisneyWorld during our Orlando stay. Magical as always! It was actually raining crazy monsoonal proportions all morning on the way to the park and we were getting really nervous it was going to be an awful day. We hadn't packed any umbrellas or raincoats and it was coming down so hard we couldn't even see a couple feet in front of us. Something told us to persevere though, and as soon as we bought our ticket, the rain stopped. no joke. And we hardly waited in any lines all day!

The most exciting part by far was getting to see the new fantasyland with all the Beauty and the Beast stuff, like the Be Our Guest restaurant, Gaston's tavern, and Belle's house. It was all so awesome and detailed, but it was really hard to get a good photo- you just gotta see it in person. I was also really happy to get a Dole pineapple whip float. sooohohoho good. makes me nostalgic for my Hawaii days. I lived pretty close to the Dole plantation on Oahu and fell in love with their pineapple soft serve. This is the same stuff, served right outside the tiki room.

Happy Easter

2013-03-31T12:55:00.001-04:00

How adorable are these easter themed chocolates? We found them at a little local chocolate shop on our street. I was kind of dying over the lamb. Oh what I would give to be in Utah right now for Baby Animal Days and be able to hold a real little lamb again. That really made my life. No lambs or bunnies here in New York city:( although I DID see six- count them- six raccoons the other night in central park, and I think it was a mom and her adolescent crew, so that was pretty cute. Next thing to look forward to? Duckling time.

Happy Happy Easter to those celebrating today!

Epcot

2013-03-30T14:42:00.000-04:00

In the spirit of eastery springtime festivities, here are some photos of me wearing my first pastels of the year on our day at Epcot. We had a lot of fun strolling around the world and trying different foods and drinks at each country. I wish I could go on dates here all the time. Ryan loved the space rides at the other end of the park....but I'm not the one who threw up after the rocket simulation....space cadette kathryn signing out-
love,
from Epcot,
Kathryn

This way to Hogwarts

2013-03-27T11:07:00.000-04:00

Oh man, you guys, I don't even know where to start. let's just preface everything by letting you know I was crying pretty much the whole time- walked into hogsmeade:tears, witnessed the wand choosing at ollivanders: lump in throat and misty eyes, went into hogwarts castle: lost it, rode the hogwarts ride: sobbing. There was SO much detail! The atmosphere was the best I could have hoped for, and exceeded my expectations in a lot of areas. I've been avidly following the design and construction progress of this park since I was in high school, so I felt like the luckiest girl in the world to finally actually experience it all. Naturally, I took a ton of photos, but I'll try and just save the best ones instead of dumping them all here- the light was pretty low in a lot of areas anyway,and really doesn't do the place justice. Anyway, you'll probably only really enjoy this post if you're into harry potter, and you might otherwise be bored to tears. fair warning.

Hogsmeade had a lot of the iconic diagon alley and hogshead shops from the book. it was really fun strolling though and seeing all the familiar store fronts- they did a great job with the shop windows! We rushed to Ollivanders first because we read the line gets really long and moves slowly. I'm so glad we waited for it though- it was amazing! When they usher you inside and shut the door it really feels like you stepped right into the book. Everything is crooked and dusty and lamplit and the guy playing Ollivander was really awesome. I don't want to go into too much detail for those who haven't gone though, because I think part of what was so striking for me was not knowing what to expect. I'm going to keep interior photos to a minimum for this reason as well. Don't want to ruin it for anyone going soon! It's so much better to be surprised!

Pickin' out wands

Honeydukes!

Sugar quills!

chocolate wands!

I believe their latest flavour is dirty diaper? yum...

After stocking up on some sherbet lemons and crystalised pineapple, and convincing myself I didn't NEED a ten dollar giant chocolate frog, we headed over to the three broomsticks for lunch. ah. you guys. pure magic. It's like the leaky cauldron and the three broomticks mixed- and a very large, amazingly designed and decorated interior. And the food was the best theme park food I've ever had by far. I got some cornish pasties, just like at the great feast! And of course, butterbeer. Ryan got a roasted chicken.

Next stop, the 'hogwarts grounds' area near the two roller coasters in the park: the dueling dragons, and the hippogriff. One thing I was so pleased with in the park was the way they designed, themed, and detailed all of their waiting and line areas so much, that I actually thoroughly enjoyed going through so immensely that I went back to both the castle and the roller coaster and waited through the line just to see it all again, and didn't even ride the rides. This line took us to hagrid's hut, the weasley's flying car, a great view of the castle, triwizard tournament memorabilia, and the shrieking shack, to name a few exciting things.

Ok now it's time for the big one- Hogwarts Castle! it was a beautiful beautiful sight. this was by far the best line I've waited in my whole life. I went through three times just to explore the castle again. No photos will really do the interior justice, but the atmosphere was perfect and the detail was so impressive. You get to see so many props and artifacts- it's such a dream.

Dusk was my favorite time there, as all the lights in the castle and the village came on, while the sun's glow still lingered. After all this running around I was craving more butter beer- naturally- it's delicious.

and there you have it- one beautiful, amazing, fantastic, magical, dream-come-true day in the world of harry potter.

love, from hogwarts,
Kathryn

earz

2013-03-25T10:57:00.000-04:00

So I love this hat a whole lot, and it made a lot more appearances on the blog when I first started out two years ago, but since cutting my hair I've felt weird in it. I still love the knit and the bear ears, but I think when my hair was long the dangly bits just blended in and now they look awkward with nothing to hide them in. I don't know...I tried to make it work today because I missed the hat and felt bad for it being buried for so long....I wore pretty much this same outfit here a long time ago when I first started blogging....a little embarrassing but it's kind of fun to see what sticks around what what doesn't. This sweater and hat are definite favorites that I think will stay with me till they fall apart.

hat- etsy
sweater/skirt/shoes- thrifted
tights- joe fresh

at hogwarts

2013-03-21T09:49:00.001-04:00

I'm enjoying my time at hogwarts and hogsmeade. here's a little taste of things to come. I'll check back in after all the vacationing in a few days, so here's a little teaser. now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get summore butterbeer.